David Gardiner - Training and Certification

Passed AI-102

2025-10-15T08:00:00.000+10:30

Another certification to add to my collection. Today I passed exam AI-102, which qualifies me for the certification Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate.

I had not had much experience with most of the Azure AI technology prior to this, so preparing for the certification became a great way to get more familiar with their different capabilities.

I prepared by using the following resources:

Study guide for Exam AI-102: Designing and Implementing a Microsoft Azure AI Solution. Taking note that the exam was updated 30th April 2025. Many of the other resources predate this.
Microsoft Learn Course AI-102T00-A: Develop AI solutions in Azure. Some content (especially the agent module labs) are already using the new Microsoft Agent Framework, whereas the exam is still covering Semantic Kernel and AutoGen. I'm guessing the next update to the exam will fix this.
Pluralsight course Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102). Most content is from 2024 or earlier.
John Saville's AI-102 Study Cram - Azure AI Engineer Associate Certification (July 2023)
MeasureUp - Microsoft Practice Test AI-102: Designing and Implementing an Azure AI Solution. Not as useful as I thought it would be.

Most of the Microsoft labs use Python, but I know C# better than Python, so inspired by my colleague Kai, I worked through converting a few of the labs to the equivalent C# code. That was helpful in getting a perspective on all the various different SDKs (bot old and new). I'll write more about that in a future post.

On the day

I ran the Pearson exam software OnVUE's system test a couple of days before I was due to do the exam and I'm glad I did. There were some new issues it threw up which I was able to resolve in plenty of time. Here's my list of things I did to ensure the app no longer detected any issues:

Uninstall NDI Tools (removes virtual camera devices, which were confusing the application when it tried to find my webcam)
Exit Slack and Microsoft Teams
Exit PowerToys
Disable Windows notifications (turn on 'do not disturb'). This actually happened during my previous exam where a Windows notification popup appeared.
Close any other applications in system tray
Disable HyperV. OnVUE kept thinking I was running inside a VM (which I wasn't). Disabling HyperV allowed me to continue.

You're only allowed to have a single monitor in operation. I have a 3-monitor setup, but I knew from previous exams that I would need to disconnect two of the monitors and show the proctor via my webcam that they were disconnected. But this time they also said they needed to see the power cord also disconnected from the wall/powerboard!

Only problem was when I started pulling power cords, I accidentally powered off my dock which disconnected both the network and the webcam and microphone causing the OnVUE app to exit. A frantic couple of minutes getting the correct devices powered again and signing back into the exam and eventually I was cleared to start.

As you can see from the study guide above, the exam covers a lot of content. I did lean a bit on having access to Microsoft Learn. It is a time sink though (and the searching within Learn is not great). You definitely have to pace yourself to ensure you have enough time to get through all the questions in the time allowed.

I was happy to get to the end and finally see the summary page letting me know I've passed!

Passed AZ-104

2025-05-11T21:30:00.000+09:30

I forgot to mention this a few weeks ago but I passed the AZ-104 - Microsoft Azure Administrator exam, and this means I now have the Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate certification.

It's been just over 3 years since I took my last Microsoft exam, and this time there was one thing that was a pleasant surprise, that I wasn't even actually aware to start with.

It turns out that back in 2023 it was announced that all role-based exams now provide access to Microsoft Learn content within the exam!

I was already a few questions in when I happened to notice a curious icon on the exam toolbar. That's when I discovered the Learn content. So the exam isn't totally 'open book', but it's a big change. It's also 'sandboxed' - you can only browse the content from the Microsoft Learn website. Nothing outside of that.

Obviously having access to that content is a big change, but you still need to be able to understand the question and interpret the correct answer.

One criticism of a lot of certification-style exams is they just encourage memorising random or obscure facts. I think giving access to Microsoft Learn from within the exam goes some way to dispelling that criticism.

Be aware that you still have the same time limit for an exam, so it's really important to manage your time well.

It would be quite easy to find you've spent 10 minutes trying to confirm the answer to a question, only to then discover that you've run out of time to finish all the questions!

I'd suggest unless you can quickly check a question in under a minute, you're better off selecting an answer but also mark the question for review. Only then if you have time at the end of the section make use of the Learn resources.

I'd been wanting to take this exam for quite a while. I'd been working my way through the self-directed training modules and also reviewed some of the courses on Pluralsight and LinkedIn Learning. I'd also made use of the practise questions.

In the end I figured I just had to take the plunge and have a go. After I'd answered all the questions I really wasn't sure if I'd made it, so it was a pleasant surprise to find that I'd passed 😊🎉

HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate (003)

2023-07-13T14:00:00.000+09:30

I've been using Terraform quite a bit recently and noticed that HashiCorp have a Terraform Associate certification. Reviewing the exam objectives it sounded like it seemed to cover most of the things I've already been doing, so I decided to give it a go.

The exam is run by PSI, so was a slightly different experience to those I've taken for Microsoft certifications. The sign-in process was a bit simpler (eg. scanning your ID with your webcam rather than having to upload them from your phone). The exam software required that I turn off a few background processes (OneDrive, a Zoom background process and the Virtual Machine Management Service). Once I'd done that the software was happy to proceed and when the proctor was satisfied with my room and desk setup I was able to start the exam.

I finished the exam in good time and I was pleased to learn that I passed!

The email summary of my results included a breakdown of how I went in each of the areas covered.

Overall Score: 78%

Breakdown by content area:

Understand infrastructure as code (IaC) concepts: 100%
Understand the purpose of Terraform (vs other IaC): 100%
Understand Terraform basics: 87%
Use Terraform outside the core workflow: 100%
Interact with Terraform modules: 40%
Use the core Terraform workflow: 88%
Implement and maintain state: 72%
Read, generate, and modify configuration: 63%
Understand Terraform Cloud capabilities: 100%

So looks like modules are an area I'm not as strong on! That's fair as I haven't made a lot of use of them so far.

If you're using Terraform, then I'd encourage you to go ahead and take the exam. Have a look at the study guide, sample questions and exam review to ensure you're comfortable with all the topics being covered and how questions will be asked. Then register for the exam and give it a go!

Failed to renew Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate

2022-02-26T16:30:00.000+10:30

One of the traps with social media is that people tend to just post nice things. Or everyday things but with a filter applied to make it look better than it really is. But life is not always nice. Things don't always work out the way you hoped. Some days are successful, other days not so much, and we don't often hear about the latter.

So allow me to redress the balance on my blog by following up my recent post about passing the Microsoft exam AZ-400, with how I subsequently failed to renew my Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate.

A lot of the newer certifications from Microsoft require an annual renewal. Rather than having to pay Prometric to sit another exam, instead, the renewal is hosted by Microsoft, doesn't cost anything, has fewer questions and (importantly for me) you can retake the renewal test multiple times until you pass. You're also still bound by a non-disclosure agreement.

I'd had the notification that my Azure Developer Associate certification needs to be renewed before 18th July (12 months since I first earned the certification).

The information about renewing the Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate includes a summary of what will be tested:

Create a long-running serverless workflow with Durable Functions
Execute an Azure Function with triggers
Choose the appropriate API for Azure Cosmos DB
Optimize the performance of Azure Cosmos DB by using partitioning and indexing strategies
Control authentication for your APIs with Azure API Management

To be honest, I kind of skimmed over that and just jumped straight in. Hey, I'd passed AZ-204 last year, so this should be easy, right?

I quickly discovered that I'd forgotten a lot of the things that were being asked. And in the end, not surprisingly, I failed.

In hindsight, looking back at that list of skills being measured, I think the problem is I haven't actually been working with all of those technologies recently. Yes, I've been using Azure Functions, but not Durable Functions. I've been working with Cosmos DB, but just one aspect of it. Likewise, I haven't done anything with API Management recently.

So yeah, that was disappointing. But if the point of the assessment is to validate my knowledge of the skills listed above, then a 'fail' is unfortunately accurate.

The good news in all this is that I can take the test again.

But also, as part of the screen shown at the end of the test, you're provided with a customised list of learning material that you could review, based on how you went in each of the skill areas. So I've got some homework to do, then I'll have another go.

Sometimes things don't work out the way you'd hoped. Sometimes there's nothing you can do to change that. But sometimes, you do get a second (or third) chance.

Passed AZ-400

2022-02-23T19:30:00.000+10:30

I'm pleased to report that today I passed Microsoft exam AZ-400: Designing and Implementing Microsoft DevOps Solutions, which combined with AZ-201 that I took last year, now qualifies me for the Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert certification.

View my verified achievement from Microsoft

The exam is quite broad in the content it covers:

Develop an instrumentation strategy (5-10%)
Develop a Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) strategy (5-10%)
Develop a security and compliance plan (10-15%)
Manage source control (10-15%)
Facilitate communication and collaboration (10-15%)
Define and implement continuous integration (20-25%)
Define and implement a continuous delivery and release management strategy (10-15%)

Some areas I'd been working with for quite a few years, but others were new to me. To help prepare I used a couple of resources:

Nice to get that one dusted.

Passed AZ-204

2021-07-17T19:30:00.000+09:30

I just passed the Microsoft Exam AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure, which qualifies me for the Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate certification.

View my verified achievement from Microsoft

If you take a look at the skills measured for this exam, it really does cut across a lot of Azure technologies. I hadn't had deep exposure to all of those even though I've been using Azure a lot lately. So to maximise my chances in the exam I also spent time complementing my hands-on experience with some learning and training content:

Completing all the learning paths listed under Microsoft Learn's AZ-204 Two ways to prepare heading.
I also reviewed all the content in Pluralsight's Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure (AZ-204) certification path. Use this link https://referral.pluralsight.com/mQlUV3B to get 50% off your first month or 15% off an annual subscription!

Like my previous exam in January I took this one at home. One slight hiccup was that despite Pearson VUE's website clearly saying an external monitor, keyboard and webcam are acceptable as long as your laptop lid is closed (mentioned under 'Make sure you have the right equipment, Required if using an external monitor with a laptop'), the proctor insisted that was not allowed. I wasn't going to argue but it was a bit confusing.

I'm thinking the next exam on my list might be AZ-400: Designing and Implementing Microsoft DevOps Solutions, as when that is combined with today's effort I'll be eligible for the Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert certification.

Passed AZ-900

2021-01-22T11:17:00.000+10:30

I mentioned this on Twitter and LinkedIn recently, but thought it worth blogging about too.

This week I passed the Microsoft Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals! This qualifies me for the Azure Fundamentals certification.

It's been a long time between drinks. The last exam I took was way back in June 2015!

As preparation for this exam I took advantage of the free online training that Microsoft are currently hosting. There's still three lots of training scheduled for February, and by participating in the training you get a voucher to take the exam for free!

This was also the first time I've chose the 'online' version of exams. Previously I'd gone in to an examination centre, so taking an exam in the convenience of my own home was a new experience. They are very strict about having a 'clean' (and quiet) workspace and you need to submit photos of your room, so may not suit everyone.

The actual exam experience is much the same as what I remember from the exam center, except that the proctor is monitoring you via your microphone and webcam, and you're using your own computer (with familiar keyboard and mouse).

Even at home there's still that tension building up right to the end to learn if you passed or not. I'm glad I did 🙂

Holiday learning

2021-01-07T16:00:00.000+10:30

I'm in the middle of 3 weeks of annual leave. It's great to just put work aside for a bit and take time to unwind. I've been out walking, cycling, drying apricots and making apricot jam, catching up with friends and family, amongst other things.

I thought I'd use some of my time off get more familiar with Azure and GitHub and have been pleasantly surprised by the learning materials available over at docs.microsoft.com.

Learning content is organised in modules - these are self-contained units of work. Modules might be grouped together in a 'Learning Path'. Some content relates to specific Microsoft exams, so if you're interested in gaining a specific certification you can work back from the exam requirements to help ensure you've covered all the areas.

eg. To achieve the Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert certification, after you've achieved one of the associate pre-requisites, you then need to pass Exam AZ-400: Designing and Implementing Microsoft DevOps Solutions.

One of the learning paths for this exam is AZ-400: Manage source control.

In that learning path is the module Manage software delivery by using a release based workflow on GitHub.

The GitHub-related content usually has an overview and some introductory content. Then they include a practical exercise which actually uses GitHub. These are cleverly done by automatically cloning a repository into your own GitHub account, and then stepping you through using GitHub issues (and sometimes pull requests) with automated responses updating the issues or moving you to the next step once you've performed the necessary steps. It's really quite clever!

Now the repository has been created, you can click on Start to begin the process. As you complete each step it will be marked as complete (so you can come back to finish the exercise later if you don't finish it in one sitting)

There's some instructions to follow. I found it's easiest to right-click on the link to open it in another tab, follow the instructions..

and then come back to this tab to wait for the next bit (which will be added as a comment to the issue)

Then click on the link to the next issue to follow on with the next step.

At the conclusion of the exercise, you head back to the docs site for a knowledge check with a multiple choice quiz to check that you've understood the main concepts for the module, and then you're done!

Some modules covered concepts I was already familiar with so if I felt the practical exercise didn't contain anything new then I'd just skip directly to knowledge check.

Azure learning modules are similar, except that instead of using GitHub, they often including access to temporary Azure resources. Some modules might embed an Azure cloud shell right in your browser on the same page as the instructions. Others will ask you to log in to the Azure Portal so you can follow through creating or manipulating resources there.

You'll be asked to active the sandbox (and probably will need to review permissions)

Here you can see the "Microsoft Learn Sandbox" subscription, which is used for the learning activities. It is only a temporary subscription and will disappear after a few hours, and more importantly means any resources used there don't cost you anything.

Here's an example of a page using the Azure Cloud Shell. Many modules wil use bash, but this specific example is using PowerShell:

The modules will often check your work to confirm that you've followed the instructions correctly:

Also worth mentioning if you'd like some free instructor-led training then check out the Microsoft Azure Virtual Training Day: Fundamentals that are are being run during January and February. As a bonus, attendees will be eligible to take the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals certification exam for free! (Credit to Bronwen Zande for tweeting about this)

So if you're looking to upskill, or just deepen your knowledge of Azure and GitHub then now is a great time to dive in.

8-Jan-2021 - Added screenshot of Azure cloud shell

Passed 70-494

2015-06-04T13:44:00.001+09:30

Back in April, I sat the Microsoft exam 70-494 Recertification for MCSD: Web Applications.

And failed 😢

And not by that much – 663 (the pass mark for Microsoft certification exams is always 700). So it’s hard to say, but it was probably around 2 – 4 incorrect questions.

But fortunately Microsoft were running the “SecondShot” promotion until the end of May, so if you failed an exam you could try it again later for no extra cost.

So today I re-sat the exam, and this time I passed (764 this time). Yay 😀

I think this might be the first time I’ve done a recertification/update type exam. Because they are essentially combining what would otherwise be two separate exams (70-486 and 70-487) it does make it a bit more challenging as the breadth of subjects covered is essentially also doubled. Take a look at the Skills Measured section – there’s a fair bit there!

You don’t get told which specific questions you got wrong, but I was able to recall a number of topics that came up in the first exam that I was unsure about so I took a bit of time to review those areas and become more familiar with them for the second time around. These were largely areas in which I don’t normally cover either for work or leisure. Of course there’s no guarantee that you’ll get the same questions – but it would be silly not to be prepared if something similar came up again.

So now that’s done – it should keep the Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer: Web Applications certification active for another two years. It will be interesting to see what kind of skills they’ll be testing next time around.

MVA Figurines

2015-02-19T09:31:00.001+10:30

In September last year, I took part in the MVA ‘Become a hero’ promotion. By signing up, I got a free t-shirt (and if you know me well, you’ll know that makes perfect sense). In addition by completing a number of online courses from the MVA site, you could then get a novelty figurine (or maybe up to 6 if you did more courses).

I received my t-shirt, but my figurine never arrived. It appeared the super powers of “DevOps Captain Code” also included the ability to get lost in the mail. “Oh well, at least I’ve got a t-shirt”, I thought.

But then yesterday I got home to discover two packages from Microsoft. One was another t-shirt (yay), and the other was the full set of 6 figurines.

So now we have (left to right)

SQL Server Query Controller
Azure Cloud Ninja
Device Management Dr Device
Windows Server Solid Server
DevOps Captain Code
Virtualisation Hypervisor

They’re now gracing my desk at work, much to the bemusement of my colleagues 😀

Figurines and t-shirts aside, if you’re after some quality free online training then there’s some excellent resources at the Microsoft Virtual Academy site. Most courses are run as a live event and then are made available on-demand a few weeks later (useful if the live event clashes with your preferred time to be asleep!)